Targeted Therapies (Small Molecules)

Yuchen Liu, Ashkan Emadi

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

Abstract

The unprecedented understanding of molecular alterations driving tumorigenesis in the genomic era has led to a paradigm shift away from the isolated use of cytotoxic chemotherapy designed to indiscriminately destroy rapidly dividing cells to a more precise approach of targeting cancer cells based on specific molecular alterations in tumor DNA. Targeted therapy preferentially damages malignant cells while sparing normal cells by blocking the action of mutated enzymes, proteins, or molecules that perpetuate or “drive” growth and survival of cancer cells. Several of these therapies directly target mutated kinases, most commonly tyrosine kinases. Enzyme-specific drugs target constitutively active mutated tyrosine kinases generated by somatic DNA alterations, while nonspecific “multikinase” inhibitors target several enzymes that are upregulated in cancer cells and are involved in cell survival, angiogenesis, and metastasis. This chapter describes frequently used targeted therapies, affected enzymatic pathways, and common clinical applications.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationCancer Pharmacology
Subtitle of host publicationAn Illustrated Manual of Anticancer Drugs, Second Edition
PublisherSpringer Publishing Company
Pages245-284
Number of pages40
ISBN (Electronic)9780826149336
ISBN (Print)9780826149329
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 2023

Keywords

  • Enzymatic pathway
  • enzyme-specific drugs
  • Mutated tyrosine kinases
  • somatic DNA alteration
  • Targeted therapy
  • targeting cancer cells
  • Tumor DNA

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Medicine

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Targeted Therapies (Small Molecules)'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this